A Little More
by rookiebluefan89
Summary: Future fic: Sam and Andy have been on a rollercoaster of ups and downs for the past five years, and things are finally looking up for them. This story is about the journey of their relationship post-season 5/6, as they try to overcome some of life's biggest challenges AND rewards - all at once.
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

_A/N: This is my first multi-chapter fic in a pretty long time - bear with me. **It technically includes a big season 5/6 spoiler, however, I wrote fics two years ago under the same assumption so... take it or leave it, I guess.**_

_**Special thanks to M, A & M for your support!**_

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><p><strong><em>Prologue: Set about three years in the future<em>**

"I'm so nervous, Sam! I hate feeling like this. My stomach is in knots right now," Andy admitted anxiously, folding her arms across her chest. For weeks, she'd been dreading this day; leaving your way of life could be exciting, but leaving your heart behind in order to do so was a terrifying feeling.

"Oh yeah?" Sam scoffed, seemingly distracted as he pulled out into traffic. "You know what else is in knots? My lower back," he said matter-of-factly, shifting around in his seat in discomfort. "So you think I can get off the couch sometime in the next five years?"

Andy gave him in an indignant look before rolling her eyes. "Can you at least try to be a little sympathetic here? This is a big day," she argued, flipping off the rock music playing on the radio. "And it's your fault you're sleeping there."

Sam groaned in response. "Christ, Andy. That was a complete misunderstanding," Sam said irritably, surprised she hadn't let it go by now. "After everything we've been through in the past year –"

"Oh, don't even tryto lecture me about '_what we've been through'_!" Andy cut him off, glaring from across the truck. "Are you kidding me right now? I was _there_."

Sam practically growled with frustration. He tipped his head back against the headrest, squeezing the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. All he'd wanted for the past few days was a chance to explain, but she would have none of it.

"Can we at least try to be civil?" he asked a minute later, knowing Andy was listening even if she wasn't acknowledging. "Everyone's going to know something's up the second we walk in."

Andy laughed sardonically, continuing to stare out the window. "Ha. As if they've never seen a domestic between a married couple," she said, mostly under her breath. "Besides," she added, looking in his direction this time, "who says they'll even remember who I am…"

"McNally," Sam sighed, glancing back and forth between her and the road. He had the sudden urge to reach over and touch her, to try to relax her. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

They'd talked about this enough times in the past that he knew she was only being stubborn. Without careful treading, Sam predicted it would turn into another screaming match. "Look, if you're going to feel like this every day, why don't we just call Claire and get it over with?" He offered gently.

Andy scoffed audibly, eyes widening. "_Ohhhh-ho-ho_. No friggen way. I am _not_ going there. I'll never hear the end of it from you," she accused, reaching across and pressing a finger into his shoulder.

Sam's head shook with denial. "That's a total lie!" he argued, feeling slightly annoyed at her accusations, "It's _her_ that -,"

"Exactly my point," Andy cut him off, eyebrows furrowing with annoyance.

If Sam had replied, Andy imagined that it would have been a string of curse words. Instead, he switched the radio back to rock, threw on his sunglasses and didn't say a single thing. Though she couldn't help but smirk; after all this time, she still found him sexy when he was angry.

Just five minutes later, Sam was pulling up into the parking spot, and Andy's stomach turned. He put the truck in park and flipped the key in the ignition, oblivious to Andy's current state. But before he could open the door, Andy stopped him.

"Sam, wait," she said, reaching for his arm before he could step down. When he spun back around, their eyes met and after a brief hesitation, his expression softened into something slightly less angry. "I...," Andy began to explain, but paused, nervously brushing her hair behind her ear.

After a deep sigh, he peeled her fingers from the strong grip on his t-shirt and clasped his fingers in hers.

"It's going to be fine. I promise," he told her quietly, lifting their connected hands and pressing a kiss to the back of her palm. "It'll be over before you know it."

Andy closed her eyes and nodded, immediately feeling the soothing relief of his voice. "I know," she whispered, gently squeezing his hand before releasing it and reaching for the door handle. "Here goes nothing," she said, mostly to herself as she hopped down from the truck and pushed the door shut.

Sam threw his arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the door and pressed a warm kiss to her neck when she leaned into him. "Here goes nothing," he murmured, before letting her go and opening the door in front of them.

Maybe first days aren't_ all_ that bad, Andy thought.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **Thank you so much for your reviews. I truly have no idea of how my update schedule is gonna go, but here's one for now. I think this chapter will answer at least a few of your questions. :)_

_**Special thanks again to M, A & M for their support and kindness!**_

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><p><strong>About 1 year, 8 months earlier.<strong>

The front door creaked as Andy pushed it open, briefly smacking her snowy boots against the brick wall before stepping inside. A wave of relief washed over her as she felt the soft warmth of their home. She began unzipping her thick winter jacket and climbing out of her clunky boots, sighing as the layers came off. Just knowing she was merely two minutes away from climbing into bed was enough to make her smile. The morning had been unlike many others; she was extra exhausted.

The quiet night shifts were always the worst. Even when you're able to lay down and rest, you don't _really _get to sleep; nights like those drag on and on. On the contrary, when you're busy, at least you don't have time to realize that it's three in the morning and you're one of the few people left in the city who aren't home in bed.

Her legs felt heavy as she trudged up the stairs one by one, trying to keep the noise to a minimum. Sam was still snoring softly as she tiptoed towards the bed, stripping some of her clothing layers as she went. Bright sunlight beamed into the room, quickly reminding Andy that she didn't have the luxury of sleeping with the night.

As she shuffled around in bed to get comfortable, Sam began to stir. When she couldn't stand to wait any longer, she peeked out through one eye, laughing when she found Sam's sleepy morning face was staring right at her. The mattress dipped as he moved in closer, her chilly hands slipping in under his shirt and making him shiver.

He pressed a kiss against her lips, curving them into a smile as her eyes fell closed. "Good morning, wife," he murmured, kissing her once more before he collapsed back down on the pillow beside her.

"Mmm," Andy moaned, too drained to open her eyes again. "Morning, husband," she replied, trying to ignore the fact that his hand slipped up under her tank and his thumb was making slow circles on lower belly. She was far too tired to have him think she was at all interested in going further, but he was sleep-warm in their cocoon of blankets. After a long night, she craved his touch and his warmth more than that of the duvet. So, she let him.

"Did you already brush your teeth this morning?" she teased, recognizing the taste of his toothpaste.

"Yes," he admitted, chuckling. "How was the night?" Sam asked softly, from beside her.

"Slow," she murmured, placing her hand on top of his to keep him in safe territory. "Extremely slow."

Sam huffed out a quiet laugh. "Those nights are fun…. When you're there," he teased, dipping his thumb under the elastic of her underwear.

"Yeah well I was with Dov so - Sam!" she squeaked, shoving his hand away from her when he snuck down way too low to be considered PG. "Stop."

"Come on, it'll relax you," he explained, pressing a kiss to her shoulder and then her collarbone. "You'll sleep like a baby after."

Andy groaned at how delicious his voice sounded. "I'm already relaxed," she argued, but let him continue. With the scent of his body wash and their fabric softener, on top of the way his hair was adorably sticking up _everywhere, _the thought of it was tempting her a lot. That kind of _release_ did make her sleep really, really well, and during their honeymoon phase, that was proven. But;

"Need sleep," Andy whined, pushing at his shoulder until he was a safe distance away. "Seriously, we're going Christmas shopping later and I need to close my eyes for a few hours first."

With a groan, Sam flipped over to face the opposite direction, pulling the blanket over his head in protest. "No thanks."

Andy smirked and reached her cold feet across the bed to tangle them in his, closing her eyes once more. She was determined to sleep; have a nice, long rest and wake up refreshed afterwards. Her mind, on the other hand, did not want to shut down, not with his words in her ear and the warmth from his palm still on her stomach. At this stage in the day, it was almost as if her feet starting rubbing his leg by their own accord. At first, Sam didn't react, he just mumbled something unintelligible about cold feet. But when she took it a little higher, slipping her toes in between his thighs - that's when he flipped over, leaning on his elbow and giving her a _look._

"Can I help you with something?" He asked, keeping his voice even.

"Actually, yes," Andy admitted, making a fist in his t-shirt and tugging him closer. "There actually is something you can do for me."

"Oh yeah," his voice dropped an octave, down to a level that felt more personal and private. "What's that?"

"Well," she breathed, running her palm up his chest and all the way back down. "I'm feeling kind of... Tense."

Sam enjoyed watching her squirm; he had a pretty good idea of what she was asking for. "Hmmm, you told me you were completely relaxed a few minutes ago. In fact, you told me you were so tired, you didn't even wanna see me," he continued with a serious voice.

"I did not!" Andy was shocked, falling for his antics. "I would never even insinuate that!" She argued, watching his expression shift into something less offended. Andy narrowed her eyes. "You weren't serious were you?"

His smirk screamed guilty. "Let's get back to this being tense thing," he murmured, brushing her hair out of the way so he could press a kiss to her neck.

"It's like I have this... Itch," Andy explained, cupping a hand to his jaw to keep him where he was.

He pulled away from her neck, eyebrows nearly at his hairline. "Oh?"

"Mmhmm," Andy agreed quietly. His mouth on her neck was driving her insane in the best possible way. "…and you're the only one who can scratch it."

Sam held back a smirk, looking at her inquisitively. "The 'only one', huh?" Andy nodded, her face a mix of serious and seductive. "Is it on your back? Flip over and I'll get it for you."

"Sam!" She grumbled, shoving his shoulder and making him laugh from deep in his chest. Her hand wound around the back of his neck, bringing his face in close. "You know what I want."

Sam glanced down between them at the cleavage that was now becoming more prominent, thanks to his roaming hand. "Hmmm," he said in agreement, leaning in to kiss the top of one breast and then the other. His hand slid back over to her belly button, teasing the elastic of her underwear with his thumb until she arched her lower body.

"Sam," she whined softly, when he continued to tease her, "Please, just, do something!"

"Relax, sweetheart," he said softly, kissing her gently before ducking under the covers with a smirk.

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><p>"Tell me!" Andy demanded, glaring at the smug smirk on his face. Later that day, they were in yet another clothing store that Sam couldn't remember the name of, searching for Christmas gifts. He had to do <em>something <em>for entertainment, and teasing Andy about Secret Santa seemed like a good fit.

"It's just none of your business," Sam stated coolly, leaning back against the wall as she rifled through the racks of clothing.

"So it must be _me_ then," Andy shrugged, trying to show that she no longer cared either way. "That's the only reason why you wouldn't tell me…?"

A hint of mischief gleamed in his eyes. "McNally," he chuckled, pushing off from the wall. The look on her face left no doubt as to how skeptical she was of his charades. "Do you know what 'Secret Santa' means?"

Her eyes narrowed, shoving the shirt she was holding back onto the rack. "Just saying, if it's Jessie, you're giving her a book called 'I'm Taken'."

Sam laughed out loud at that, loud enough to catch the attention of some other shoppers. So, he stepped in behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her against his front. "Officer Thomas knows what's up…. now," he chuckled, thinking back to the hell that came with the new rookie. "And it's not like I'm her training officer."

Not only was this rookie basically a supermodel, but Andy had overheard her talking about how sexy 'the dark haired detective is' and how 'badly she wants to get him alone'. Needless to say, Andy set the record straight one night at the Penny, and Sam enjoyed it immensely. He could still remember how hot it was when Andy literally grabbed him and shoved in her tongue in his mouth, in front of _everyone. _Jessie Thomas knew how to take a hint, for the most part.

Andy gave up, relaxing against him but still searching through the shirt collection. "In my opinion, she should've taken one look at you and known you weren't single."

"Oh, so you did want her to look at me?"

Without warning, Andy threw an elbow back against his ribs, less gently that she normally would. "Okay," she ignored his whines of pain. "What about this for Noelle?" she asked casually.

"Yes, yes, yes," Sam sighed, straightening up. "Good, fine, great."

Andy frowned, evidently catching on to his boredom. "You know I need your help with this! Why do you think I needed you to come?"

"I really don't know," Sam shrugged, trying to keep the conversation light. "You know I hate shopping."

Andy scoffed. "Well they're _your _friends too. You want me to assume you'll like whatever I choose?"

"Actually, that'd be awesome," he grinned.

For a moment, she simply gave him a look. The look that meant she was not finding him nearly as funny as he thought he was being. And then, she cracked, taking a big step forward, into his space. "Just so you know, I have every intention of visiting Victoria's Secret today," Sam immediately perked up, eyebrows raised. "And I'm willing to let you join me," she continued, while Sam nodded along with interest. "..._after _we find gifts for these last three people."

Sam eyed her suspiciously, his tongue pressing up against the inside of his cheek. "Alright," he sighed, giving in. "What do we got?"

Andy rolled her eyes affectionately and held up some options.

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><p>"You don't actually hate Christmas, do you?" Andy asked him, as they strolled along the busy mall after visiting Victoria's Secret.<p>

Sam glanced over, catching her playful smile. "I'm suddenly really into Christmas shopping," he teased back, nudging her with his elbow. "Turns out I _highly_ enjoy picking out my own Christmas gifts."

Andy bit back a knowing smile when she met his gaze, immediately picking up on the bedroom eyes he was giving her. It had only been hours since the last time, but a sudden warmth filled her body and her cheeks surely turned a shade of pink while she clutched the Victoria's Secret bag tighter in her fist. Andy was absolutely sure that every person walking by them knew exactly what was going on. Hell, even the cashier had been eyeing them a little at the checkout. Sam was right; Andy was definitely not known for her poker face.

"Is that… Noelle?!" Andy called, waving from across the way and grabbing her oblivious husband's hand to tug him along. "Hey!"

"Hey you two!" Noelle waved back from the 'Photos with Santa' line, gesturing for Olivia to look at who was coming their way.

After a giving Noelle a tight hug, Andy kneeled down to say hello to Olivia, who immediately hid behind Noelle's leg, white frilly dress and all.

"You know Andy and Sam, Livi," Noelle explained, as Olivia shook her head and continued to hide. When she didn't budge, Andy stood up and smiled in understanding, while Sam feigned hurt, hand to his chest. "Remember, from the police station?" Noelle laughed, smacking Sam playfully.

"A policeman like Daddy?" Olivia's 3-year-old voice asked, muffled by her Mom's jeans.

"Yeah honey, and Daddy's going to be really upset that he just missed seeing them," Noelle explained to her daughter, and then looked back up at Andy and Sam. "He's meeting us for an early dinner in about an hour."

"She is the _cutest _thing, Noelle," Andy admitted, unable to take her eyes off of the adorable young girl that she hadn't seen in months. By this point, Sam had kneeled down and was trying to coerce her out from behind Noelle's leg.

After looking back and forth between the both of them and Olivia, Noelle finally spoke up. "Christmas takes on a whole new meaning when you have kids," she said, eyebrows raised with suggestion.

Andy smirked when Sam immediately took interest in the fountain across the way, giving Olivia a coin to toss in. "Yeah," Andy chuckled, nodding in Sam's direction. "Don't think we're ready for that just yet."

Noelle laughed, touching Andy's shoulder. "I don't know. Sammy's always been pretty good with kids."

Andy just smiled and shook her head, watching as Sam showed Olivia how to flip it into the water with her thumb.

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><p><strong>About 2 weeks later<strong>

While Andy and Traci didn't have nearly as much time to spend together after work anymore, they still made it a priority to have girl's night once a month. The particular night, Andy was headed to Traci's, leaving Sam and Steve at her place to watch the Leaf's game. After the past crazy month, some R&R was much deserved. However, while the night started off fun and carefree, it quickly turned tense. For a few weeks now, Andy had been feeling moody and achy, the classic PMS symptoms. With a laugh, Traci made the teasing suggestion that maybe she's growing a baby in there, and suddenly the symptoms… it made sense. And she _was _late, but it had happened before; jobs like policing cause a lot of physical and emotional stress, Andy's doctor had explained.

"It's just not possible," Andy explained to her friend. "Seriously, it's gotta be the stress."

"Maybe," Traci agreed, "Or maybe it's something else."

Andy narrowed her eyes, sending a glare across the room.

"Well, do you guys use condoms?" Traci asked matter-of-factly, still trying to keep things calm. "Does he…?"

"No…, and yes," Andy admitted, giving her an embarrassed smile. It wasn't supposed to be awkward – but the conversation was getting close, considering Traci works alongside him. "But I'm obviously on the pill. It's fine. _I'm fine. _I'm sure I'm not pregnant."

"I _know _but things happen with those pills. I mean, if you don't take it at the exact same time, every day –"

"I do! Seriously Trace, I'm extremely diligent," Andy explained as she scrolled through Google on Traci's laptop. "I set the alarm on my phone so I _always_ remember. We have a plan, okay? There's no way it's happening right now – oh my god," her eyes widened, whole body tensing up.

"What?" Traci asked, alarmed.

Andy spun around in the seat to face her. "I was on antibiotics," she announced, like things were unexpectedly clicking. "A month ago. I had that ear infection and the doctor said to be extra careful and we were, I mean… we didn't… _he _didn't… but, ugh," she dropped her head into her hands.

Traci placed a hand on her back, pulling her own chair closer. "Okay, don't freak out, everything'll be alright."

"Don't freak out!?" Andy's voice was shrilled. "Traci! I may be _pregnant._ Do you understand how scary -," Traci gave her a look, and she paused before admitting, "Okay, probably you do understand. But I'm not ready, _we _are not ready. We're been barely married –"

"_Andy!" _Traci grabbed both of her shoulders and shook gently, almost laughing at the amount of panic in this room. "You don't even know if you are! Don't do this to yourself until you actually know. And even then."

Andy took three tests, not even finding it in her to ask why Traci had so many extras laying around. The ten minutes she was forced to wait were taken up by pacing, praying and a whole bunch of cursing. By the time the timer went off, Andy couldn't even look.

It turned out that every single one came back overwhelmingly, undeniably….

_Positive_.

There was a very, very good chance that she was pregnant.

"What am I gonna do?" Andy cried, crashing onto Traci's couch after bolting out of the bathroom. "We were supposed to focus on each other for a while. Make sure we were solid before we ever add a…," she couldn't even say it.

Traci lifted Andy's feet at the end of couch before sitting down and placing them on top of her thighs. "What you're gonna do," Traci paused, slapping Andy's leg so she'd look up, "…is tell Sam. Whatever your plan was, he _loves _you, Andy. He's not going to -,"

"— He loved that plan, Trace," Andy cut in, her head flopping back against the pillow. "He's going to be so disappointed."

"Well, maybe _he _should've thought of that too. Sounds like he wasn't all that careful himself," Traci pointed out.

Andy's cheeks turned a shade of pink while she tried to hold back a smirk. "Well, I, um… It's not like I discouraged him from…," Andy trailed off, giggling as Traci shook her head. "Sometimes it just gets intense – "

With an overdramatic eye roll, Traci shoved her friend's legs off of her and got up to head to the kitchen. Between much needed fits of laughter, Andy listened to her go on about having to work with this guy and not needing to know every little thing about what he's like…

"You didn't mind me talking about this when he wasn't a detective!"

Traci's head popped out of the kitchen. "Tell him, Andy!" she ordered, before slipping back in to pour something non-alcoholic.

However, by the next night, Andy still hadn't broke the possible news to Sam. She'd tried, a few times, but it was a busy day off and none of the moments felt right; not private enough, not quiet enough, not enough time to talk about it. Most of all, Andy was nervous. For once, she'd talked Sam into making a plan with her. They'd sat down one night, just after their wedding, and really talked about the next five years. _No kids right away, right? _She'd asked him. _I mean, I know we're not ready. _He had agreed; they needed to spend time together first.

If those tests she had taken were telling the truth, that alone time together was going to be greatly affected.

"Ollie and Celery invited us over for dinner tomorrow night," Sam explained, as he emptied the glasses from the dishwasher and placed them in the cupboard above him.

"Oh?" Andy's response was quiet, as if it was a passing thought. She continued to gather up their dinner dishes, buying some time.

"Yeah, I guess he's having a celebratory barbecue 'cause he signed away the house today," he said, trying to catch her eye while spinning around to lean against the countertop. He watched as she nodded but stayed quiet and turned on the water to soak the dishes. They were able to sit down together and eat a home cooked meal tonight, which was rare, but usually really nice. Sam could sense something was wrong, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint it.

"Makes sense," she agreed finally, when she realized he was waiting for her reply.

Sam frowned, still waiting patiently. "You... don't seem happy?"

Andy shrugged, hands deep in the sink as she scrubbed the pasta pot. She knew was wasn't being fair. Leaving him in the dark was so incredibly mean, and treating him badly wasn't going to help anything. A little part of her wondered if he'd be fine with it. If maybe he really did want a baby and maybe she was the one who wasn't ready. At the moment, she was terrified.

"I am happy for them. I'm glad they sold the house," Andy agreed with a nod.

"Okay," Sam cocked an eyebrow. "But?"

"But...," Andy sighed, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm really not feeling up to dinner this weekend."

It was the honest truth, mostly. She didn't feel like going, not when she had no idea what the future was going to hold for them. And definitely not when she felt bloated and tired and moody.

He grabbed a towel and began to dry the pots and pans that she was scrubbed furiously… almost too furiously. After waiting to see if she'd explain further, he finally spoke up. "How do you not feel up to dinner three days from now?"

Andy paused from her scrubbing, wiped her bangs out of face and turned to look at him with a mild glare.

Sam was perplexed. "What?" He asked, palms up in front of him. He watched as she shook her head and continued her rinse, before he put the towel down and all but stomped out of the kitchen.

Later, as they sat on couch to relax, Andy felt her mood begin to improve. She had been feeling pretty guilty for the way she'd been treating him, and decided it was time, but she as she opened her mouth to say something, his phone vibrated.

Sam tapped his fingers on the back of the phone, debating. "Oliver says Celery wants to know if we're in for this weekend," he said, almost holding his breath near the end.

Andy fumed a little. "What do you _think_ my answer is?"

Sam removed his arm the back of the couch, putting some extra space between them and looking at her questionably. "What's up with you today?" He questioned, eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "This is clearly not about Oliver so why don't you just tell me what I did to piss you off?"

Andy shook her head, her heart pounding all of a sudden. The words _I think I'm pregnant _sat on the tip of her tongue, waiting to be released, and didn't come. She leaned back into the couch, keeping her eyes on the TV. "I just don't want to go."

"Why not?"

This time, she looked at him. "Because I don't feel like it," she said calmly, but with accentuation on each word.

Sam sighed in frustration, throwing his phone onto the table in front of them. He sat back and shook his head, attempting to focus his attention on the Criminal Minds re-run.

They watched mostly in silence, until Andy was out cold and Sam's eyelids weighed 20 pounds each. He glanced over at her sleeping face, noticing she was frowning as she laid curled up against the arm of the couch. For the past little while, he'd been thinking back over the past day, trying to figure out exactly what caused this rift.

After some debate, Sam scooped her up bridal style and carried her to their bed, feeling her warmth breath against his neck. He climbed in beside her, and was instantly startled when she turned to cuddle into his side. He was still irritated, but didn't have the heart to move her.

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><p>Early the next morning, Sam had just hopped out of the shower and threw a towel on, leaving the shower going for Andy who had been pushing for him to hurry up. Andy tried to casually <em>not<em> undress in front of him… just in case. She certainly didn't look pregnant, but she was feeling bloated and gross, as if she was having some horrible PMS.

However, Sam was in no rush to leave the bathroom. He dried himself off with a towel in front of the mirror, wiping off some of the fog with his hand. "What?" he asked a moment later with a smug smirk, when he realized she was staring.

"Nothing," Andy shrugged, pretending to be busy organizing the small cupboard above the toilet.

"So you've been telling me to hurry up for the past 10 minutes and now you're not in a rush to shower?" He asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice as he dried his legs.

"No, I'm just waiting for you to…," she nodded towards the door.

Sam huffed a sarcastic laugh, gesturing down to himself in all his naked glory before meeting her serious gaze. "Uhh, okay? Nothing I haven't seen before, _wife_,"he bit out the last word, making a point.

_Obviously, _Andy almost said, but didn't want to make things worse. She was just really not in the mood to be seen naked on this particular morning. "Exactly, so why does it matter? Maybe I just wanna shower in peace. Is that okay with you?"

The grin he gave her before he left the room was not even remotely pleasant, leaving Andy feeling pretty guilty. She could tell he was confused by her sudden need for privacy and she wanted to make it right, but by the time she'd finished in the shower, he had already dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. The moment had passed.

Although her coffee was poured for her and their morning conversation was civil, there was clearly some thick tension in the air. Before Sam could open the door, she grabbed his arm. "Hey," she called, tugging him back gently, as to not spill his coffee to go.

She leaned into his space, tipping her face up towards his and keeping a solid grip on his arm. "Love you," she told him, well aware that she must seem like a lunatic.

A small smile worked its way across his lips, but didn't reach his eyes. He stepped back and kissed her quick, pulling away before she could kiss him anymore. "We're gonna be late," was all he said, before he swung open the front door and the bitter cold blew in.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at work, Traci could tell right away that things weren't great between them. "Did you…?" was all she had to ask before Andy began shaking her head.<p>

"I didn't get the chance okay?" she whispered urgently, "All we've done is fight for the past day."

Traci nodded in understanding. She could tell her friend was majorly stressed out. "Did you make an appointment at least?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah I did, for this Friday," Andy confirmed, taking a quick glance around as she leaned against the desk behind her. The last thing she wanted was to be the source of workplace gossip.

"Okay, so I'm assuming you want him to be there?" Traci said suggestively.

"Of course," Andy replied right away, a little too loudly. "I just… I'm nervous okay? I know he's my husband but this is a big deal and I just want it to be the right time," she continued to explain, much more softly.

A voice called _Detective_ _Nash _from across the room, and Traci began to walk away, facing her.

"The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be. You trust him," Traci said confidently, "So tell him."

With that, she was gone, and Andy was left alone with her thoughts.

* * *

><p>Traci's advice was still in her head an hour later, while she had been catching up on paperwork and letting things stew. On impulse, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted Sam; <em>Can we talk?<em>

A few minutes later, she got a reply: _What's going on?_

_I just really need to talk to you. Interrogation 1? _She sent back.

_See you there. _

"Why is it that the one time you need an interrogation room for a legitimate reason, they're full?" Andy rambled as he followed her into the break room, which was thankfully empty. She was so anxious that she was physically shaky.

"I don't know," Sam sighed, standing with his arms crossed. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

His tone was short, which she had expected. With the past day of so of arguments, she knew she had some animosity coming her way.

"Can you just… stop," Andy gestured with her hand, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Please? It's just really not helping."

Sam scoffed, shaking his head and putting his arms down at his sides to stand like a soldier. "Happy?" he asked sarcastically.

The room may have been private but at the moment, it felt extremely open. Like at any time someone could just stroll in and hear them having a marital spat in that was so, so much more than what they'd think.

Andy wanted to cry; wanted to have a good and honest release of tears and she had a feeling his reaction was only going to make that feeling worse. Not only was it going to be bad news, but he was also in a horrible mood. They both were.

"I'm sorry, okay. Please," her voice broke on the last word. She really, really needed his support right now. "I know I've been acting weird," Sam huffed a quiet laugh, making a comment about the shower this morning, "But this is important," she continued, talking over him with a wavering voice.

The next time their eyes met, he looked more alarmed. After the past day, he'd probably wanted to give her some shit, but she knew he could never stand the sight of her crying.

"Okay, hey," he said softly, tugging her with him into a more secluded area of the break room before pulling her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her there, until she reciprocated and clutched onto him. For some reason, it was already making her feel better. "What's wrong?"

After a few moments, Andy pulled back, swiping underneath her eyes. "I have something to tell you."

"Okay… so why are you upset about it?" He asked, confused, running his palms up and down her arms. "Did you put a dent in the truck?" he asked suspiciously, looking like maybe he wasn't ready for her answer.

"No," she shook her head. At this point, she was feeling more emotional about the obvious concern in his eyes than anything else.

"Did you throw out my favourite sweater that I would absolutely kill you if you got rid of?"

Andy smiled at that, dropping her forehead against his shoulder. "No…"

"Okay, so…?"

Andy took a deep breath in and held it. "I think I'm pregnant," she choked out, not able to look him in the eye. "I think I messed up my pills and I took a test at Traci's the other night but I haven't been to the doctors but I made an appointment and it's so close to Christmas –"

"_McNally,_" Sam growled, in a tone that suggested maybe he had been trying to get her attention for a little while. "_That's_ what you've been so upset about?"

Andy nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed and reassured all at once. "You're… not mad?"

"Mad?" he was taken aback, his brow furrowed. "Why would I be mad?"

"Well whenever someone brings up us having kids you avoid the conversation," she pointed out, trying not to sound accusational, "and we made a plan that we wouldn't have them for a while and I know I should've paid more attention to my pills…"

"Okay, hold it there," he dropped his hands down to clutch her waist, taking a quick look behind him to make sure nobody had walked in. "I would _never _blame you, even if I was upset – which I'm not," he added, giving her a small smile. "I want half the credit for this."

Andy shook her head, still feeling an uneasiness inside of her, like _she _ruined their five year plan.

"Andy," he grabbed her attention once more, getting a thumb under her chin to tilt her face up. "I know we made a plan, and it's great, but… I'm not disappointed that we ruined it."

Andy looked at him for a few moments, taking it all in. "Okay, so wait a second," Andy placed a hand on his chest to literally back him up a little. "You… you _wanted _a baby?"

It was Sam's turn to feel shy. He smiled, looking away from her gaze like he was embarrassed, "Maybe,"

Andy grinned, eyes welling up once more. "Well I think you may be getting your wish."

Sam got his hands on each side of her jaw, "C'mere," he said quietly, pulling her in for a quick kiss, while they had the chance.

* * *

><p>Later that night, they'd just finished eating dinner on the couch, when Andy noticed Sam staring. . He had been more than a little enamoured with her since the morning. It was a massive sense of stress relief that she had desperately needed.<p>

"What?" She smiled, glancing over to meet his eyes. "Quit looking at me like that."

Sam chuckled, putting his plate on the coffee table and moving closer to her, resting on his elbows as he laid along the couch. "Like what?"

"I don't know," Andy replied shyly. She ran a hand through his thick hair, scratching at the nape of his neck with her nails. His forehead dipped down to rest on her thigh as she continued. "Like you are."

Sam chuckled, getting more comfortable as she trailed her fingers up and down his neck. "So did you talk to Oliver?"

"Yeah, told him we're in," he said, mostly into the fabric of her pajamas.

"Okay, good. You didn't tell him about…?"

Sam shook his head in the negative. Without warning, he lifted up her shirt, just enough, and placed his palm on her stomach, as if he expected to feel something. "A baby?" he whispered, like maybe he's just checking.

"I think so," Andy sucked in a quick breath as his hand moved and his lips met her skin. If he questioned why her eyes were glassy, she'd have to blame it all on the hormones. Whether there was actually a baby there or not, she felt _different. _To Andy, _they _were different. The sense of security that she was feeling was one she didn't realize existed. Marriage was one thing; creating new lives together was another. And he was really in it with her.

Her hand stilled in his hair. "You're happy," she said, almost as a question.

Sam looked up at her, placing his hand back on her still-flat belly. He'd always done it, but today, it came with so, so much more meaning. "I'm terrified," he admitted with a shy smile, glancing down at his hand and then back up at her face. "Never been so excited in my life."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for all of your supportive reviews, I appreciate them! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Special thanks again to M, A & M who are so very supportive!**

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><p>It was almost noon at Sam and Andy's home in Toronto. On this extremely snowy day, Andy finally convinced herself to crawl out of bed, trudging down the stairs in her flannel pajama pants and cozy socks. The delicious aroma of coffee and their real Christmas tree filled the air, along with a crock pot of fresh brewing apple cider. They had only just under two hours to prepare before everyone would presumably start showing up, but she wasn't doing a damn thing until she had some coffee... Decaf or not, it was all that could make her feel human right now. She just hoped to God it wouldn't make her nauseated like it did the other day; she couldn't survive the next 8 months without it. <em>A little bit of caffeine every day won't do any damage, <em>was the best news she'd heard from the doctor thus far.

It was confirmed at their appointment the week before; they were definitely pregnant. Hearing it from the doctor had made it seem so real, even if she already knew the chances were good before she left. Much to her surprise, Andy had gotten teary in the truck on the way back, the raw nerves of the news getting the best of her; in less than a year, their lives would be completely different. On the other hand, Sam couldn't hold back a grin the entire way, clasping his fingers through hers and explaining to her, in every way he could come up with, that there was nothing to worry about.

It was almost reminiscent to her first days as a rookie cop. Before then, she hadn't really experienced what it meant to feel completely safe and utterly terrified all at once. It was exhilarating. But the most important similarity to Andy, in both situations, was Sam Swarek. He was the steady presence that was always there for her, and he had her back no matter what.

"Mmm," Andy moaned as she watched Sam stir the milk into her cup, seemingly pretty groggy in his sweats and worn t-shirt. She sidled up against him, wrapping her arms around his waist and soaking up the body warmth. "Thank you."

"Merry Christmas Eve," he whispered in his sleep voice, circling his arm over her shoulders and working his head around to meet her lips. "Again."

"Merry Christmas Eve," she murmured against his mouth. She lifted a hand to the back of his head, scratching lightly at the nape of his neck while she moved her lips against his. "I wish we could just do this all day."

Sam hmmed, holding her tighter. "I... would not mind that."

Andy grinned, biting gently at his lip. "You know, we should really enjoy this year," she pointed out, grabbing a slice of toast from his plate and unwinding her arms from his middle. "You know next year is going to be… baby-fied."

Sam turned to her with a glare, gesturing at the toast she stole. "Mmm, can't wait."

While there was a touch of sarcasm in his voice, Andy was pretty sure he was serious. He'd been doting on her whenever he could; running her bath water, buying her ice cream, rubbing her feet when they weren't even sore. However, Andy's favorite part thus far was that every morning since they'd found out, she'd woken up with his hand square on her lower belly.

With a smile and a deep yawn, Andy tried to perk up from only a quick four hours of sleep that morning, after a night shift. She was still ok'd for regular duty by the doctor, at least until the 8 week mark when they'd have an ultrasound. In a way it made things harder, and more stressful; that nagging worry in the back of her mind that something could happen.

This Christmas Eve, they'd planned for a late brunch; everyone would be over for just a few hours in the middle of the day, before most of them headed back to work for another night. Sam's schedule had changed over time into more of a day shift, but he didn't mind being the D who voluntary took on nights when Andy did; it meant they'd share more time off.

Swiping her mug from the countertop, Andy brought it to her lips and took a deep breath in through her nose, eyes drifting closed in pleasure. "So did Sarah call you back?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded, buttering another piece of toast for himself. "Just talked to her a few minutes ago. She's going to bring him. Took some convincing though."

Andy huffed a laugh. "He's still kind of new. Probably afraid you'll try and scare him away," she teased, "if it runs in the family anyway."

With that quip, Sam glared a little, shaking his head. "I'm still annoyed at her for that," he announced, spinning around to face Andy and then taking a bite of his toast.

Andy rolled her eyes playfully. "She apologized forever ago!"

"I was in a _hospital bed," _he reminded her matter-of-factly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "I almost died and my own sister was trying to convince you to ditch me."

Andy really laughed this time, taking a few steps forward to press her forehead into his chest while she shook quietly. Seeing the way they were now made their rollercoaster past just seem… utterly ridiculous. When she finally peeked up at him, there was a real smile on his face. "That _was_ pretty mean," she agreed with a short nod.

Sam hmmed in satisfaction; his palms running up and down her arms, and then pausing for a moment to rest one on her lower belly, which hadn't changed much at all since they'd received the news. "She's never babysitting our kid," he shook his head, even as Andy jaw dropped in mild shock. As much as she tried, she wasn't sure she'd ever fully understand the Swarek siblings' relationship. "Ever."

With a moment of thought, Andy conceded. She'd been getting along much better with Sarah now, but there were still reasons for not wanting her to babysit just yet. "Yeah I think we'll stick to Traci or Gail… or my Dad," she paused for a brief moment and thought of her Mom, and just as quickly shoved that idea out of her mind. Sam would absolutely freak, besides the fact that she lived about two hours away. "Ugh, we have so much to do," she groaned, stepping back from him once again and looking around the open-concept kitchen and living room. It was quite clean, but there was still food to be prepared, presents to be wrapped, dishes to be done, and hosts to be showered and dressed, all in less than two hours. The plans were made before she ever knew she was pregnant and now, she just hoped she'd be awake for the entire gathering. "I don't know where to start."

Sam leaned back against the counter, bringing his own mug to his lips. "Our five hours of scrubbing yesterday should've helped at least," he suggested with a shrug.

An amused look formed on Andy's face. "Well, to be fair," she said quietly, as if someone could hear the conversation, "it wasn't a _full_ five hours. There was that one thing-"

"-That interruption," Sam smirked, tongue in cheek as he gave her a once over. "Right."

Andy laughed, running a hand through her unwashed hair and then putting her mug back down on the island. "Okay. I'll start chopping veggies, you start organizing the booze. Sound good?"

Sam nodded, taking one last sip of his coffee before heading out to the chilly garage to grab the beer.

* * *

><p>Exactly two hours later, Andy heard a soft knock on the front door from upstairs, and then a subsequent ding. She'd only just unplugged her curling rod and was spraying the loose curls in front the mirror above her dresser, still in her bra and underwear.<p>

Sam!" she yelled over the sounds of the tap running. "The doorbell!"

"I'm not -" he popped out of the bathroom, also only in his boxer briefs, with shaving cream covering the bottom half of his face. "Dammit," he quipped, quickly realizing why she'd called on _him_.

"I'll go." Andy yanked her bathrobe off the back of the door, wrapping it around her and praying to God it was one of her friends at the front door. She cursed Sam, and then herself as she scrambled down the stairs. They would've been ready on time, but a half an hour ago when time was dwindling, Sam had suggested they share the shower. _We need to get in and and get out, sir, you hear me?_ She'd said sternly, stressed out by the lack of time. Sam had nodded; _you wash, I shampoo, I wash, you shampoo, _he explained in a serious voice, as if the technicalities were the only reason she was hesitant.

_You called me __**sir**_ was the only excuse Sam used for why he couldn't keep his hands to himself once she'd soaped up. He'd been watching her do it; peeking over as she covered her entire body in her foamy coconut body wash while he spent far too long shampooing. At first it was her arms that he'd offered to 'help' with, scrubbing gently and keeping it shockingly PG. That was, until he'd suddenly moved lower, clutching at her hips before slipping his soapy hands around to her ass and squeezing, hard. Andy had basically squeaked in surprise, palms meeting his chest when she'd leaned in too close to call herself an innocent bystander. Needless to say, they'd ended up taking a few extra minutes in there, of which they clearly didn't have to spare.

"Merry Christmas!" she yanked open the door, immediately feeling the chill rush in and go straight up her robe. Dov and Chloe laughed at her state of dress, apologizing for being the first ones but agreeing to be the hosts until she and Sam were ready. "We're just a little behind," she laughed, trying to stop the blush from heating her cheeks and thanking God nobody came earlier than them. After hugging them both, she excused herself back upstairs. "We'll be down soon. Help yourself to drinks!"

Andy rushed to apply a little makeup and throw on her soft red dress, classy but comfortable. The stress was evident in her voice when she called for Sam to zip her up and _hurry up _as she heard more groups of people coming in the front door. However, standing in front of the mirror, she took a second to stare at her stomach, turning to one side and then the other.

"_Aaaaaandy_?" She heard a young voice in the distance, loudly climbing up the stairs. She recognized it as Leo, but was mostly distracted. She imagined how not far down the road, this dress would be completely unwearable. "What are you doing?" He stood in the open doorway, a confused expression on his face.

Andy froze, smoothing her dress down to cover the truth. "Leo!" She called with a smile, ignoring his question and noticing Olivia running up behind him. When Sam poked his head out, Andy shoved her half-dressed husband back into the bathroom and shut the door as she went by. "I was just about to come downstairs!" She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, noticing how tall he was getting at ten years old.

When she finally made it down the stairs, chasing Olivia for a hug, she was happy to see that a bunch of people had arrived. Their house was a decent size but suddenly seemed smaller with the living room full; not only did they have their coworkers attending, but also a few neighbours, and family members. The tree lights twinkled, the food smelled great and the crowd was bustling; Andy couldn't help but feel a huge sense of relief, with maybe a slight nausea from the smells.

A cheer resonated in the room as she reached the bottom floor, "Merry Christmas!"

Andy felt a blush come on from the attention. "Merry Christmas!" she broadcasted in return.

She was jolted by a sudden bear hug from Traci, who nearly squealed and whispered congratulations, for the fifteenth time. Andy bit back a grin and shushed her nervously. "It's too early!" She whispered back, turning to embrace Steve next.

For lack of surprise, most of the ladies were gathered in the living room and along the island, pouring glasses of wine, grabbing treats and complaining about the cold, mixed in with _you wouldn't believe what my ridiculous husband did last week _stories. The guys, on the other hand, stood directly in front of the food table, most of them not even bothering with a plate as they mauled the finger food trays.

When Sam finally came down the stairs a few minutes later, making a small scene when people starting ribbing him for taking so long, Andy couldn't help but grin. He wore her favourite dark jeans and the rich brown sweater that she'd bought him for last Christmas: it looked fantastic on him. He caught up to her a few minutes later while she stood in front of the open fridge, slinking an arm around her waist and pressing a chaste kiss against the side of her jaw. "You look amazing in that dress," he told her quietly.

Andy smiled, getting a waft of the cologne that made her crazy, and he knew it too. "You _smell_ amazing," she told him, catching him at the last second before he left her eyesight. He replied with only a cocky grin.

With a cup of warm apple cider in hand, Andy strolled around to greet their guests, spreading hugs and well wishes, hearing endless jokes about the fact that Sam tries too hard to be pretty. Every once in a while, Andy felt a distinctive cold breeze rushing in and knew that more people must be showing up. This time, she watched as Oliver, Celery and his kids stepped through the door, trays of cinnamon rolls in hand.

"How's the packing going?" She asked Oliver, winding her arms around his neck; he could only groan in response.

"You're glowing!" Celery commented, giving Andy a look of interest before apologizing for being late.

Andy grinned, blaming it on the holidays and trying to change the subject as she took their coats, getting hugs from the kids that she'd only just seen a couple weekends before. "Christmas is my favourite time of year, you know," she said matter-of-factly, but had a feeling Celery wasn't falling for it.

Celery nodded, giving her a wink before going off to find Oliver, already off in the crowd of people.

Over the next couple of hours, they'd exchanged some gifts, ate endless amounts of food and the kids had clearly had one too many cookies; running in circles through the groups of adults. Andy was thrilled at the turnout. Although it seemed loud and chaotic to her, everyone appeared to be relaxed, and having a good time. Even Sarah, who took some convincing to come in the first place, was deep in conversation with Gail. Andy watched as she introduced herself to Sophie, who'd been with Gail for no longer than a month now. Nick had shown up also and brought his fiancé; Andy smiled when she watched Sam greet them both, shaking Nick's hand and hugging Kayla, especially because a couple of years ago, Sam would've been more likely to punch him out than shake his hand. She was suddenly thankful that rookies weren't invited, knowing that as immature as it sounded, she would hate it if Jessie was there, in their home.

"We'd like to make a toast," Andy called out a little while later, lifting her wine glass full of fizzy white grape juice as to not give away their secret. She was just over six weeks along, and wanted to wait until after the first ultrasound before telling everyone, as much as part of her really, really wanted to tell them now. "To friends, to family…"

"To the Swareks!" Oliver called, inciting a cheer. Andy took a sip and looked at Sam very briefly, raising her eyebrows in question; she was relatively sure Oliver was referring to more than _just _Sam and Andy. Sam just shrugged, taking another swig of his beer.

Without fail, everyone started to leave around 4:30; night shift beckoning. Andy and Sam hugged her Dad and Amy, the last ones to leave, just after Oliver and Celery. By the time they'd put all the food away, tidied a bit and driven to work, Andy was totally exhausted and Sam was only slightly intoxicated. Overall, she was pretty pleased with how well it went, and relieved that they were only having four people over tomorrow for a family-only gathering.

* * *

><p>After she'd changed into a gown and was settled on the reclined bed, Andy motioned for Sam to move closer. Just as he pulled up the chair, the ultrasound technician squirted gel on Andy's stomach, making small talk about the holidays to help her get comfortable. Sam's cheeks turned a shade of red when he realized what Andy was going to say. With a grin from ear to ear, Andy told her about their New Years' adventures, namely Sam's tobogganing accident, where he lost control of his GT racer and flipped, taking out Oliver <em>and<em> Izzy on the same run, and barely being about to lean past his own waist for a few days.

Andy smirked when the young, brunette woman asked how she and Sam met, letting Sam tell his version of that story while she replied to Traci's five hundred excited texts. _I was on a deep undercover operation, _he started, with a charming grin, watching as her eyebrows raised with surprise, _taking down drug dealers and that kinda thing._ Andy smacked his chest with the back of her hand when he began fabricating the story, rolling her eyes at the way he was trying to sound impressive.

Once the machine was ready to go, Andy took in a deep breath and felt Sam's fingers linking through hers. If she wasn't mistaken, he was a little nervous today, a stark contrast to his excitement following the first appointment not long ago. He hadn't said too much that morning about the appointment, just that he was looking forward to hearing the heartbeat.

As the device was moved around, Andy heard the soft, thumping sounds and gasped quietly in surprise. She looked over at Sam with a smile, watching curiously as he was completely absorbed in the sounds. It felt so strange that even though she could still fit into her regular jeans, there was a heart beating inside of her. She stared at Sam's profile, thinking about him as Daddy to that little life inside of them and felt her eyes becoming glassy.

When the image was pulled up, the technician made a sound, explaining that she's just checking something before she'd let them see. However, after a minute, the technician simply made another sound, her expression showing that she might've been confused… or worried. Andy froze, eyes darting from the screen and back to the technician's face, over and over.

"Is something wrong?" Andy tried not to let the fear creep into her voice, but she was pretty sure she was failing. She squeezed Sam's hand in fear, and immediately he began making circles in her palm to attempt to calm her. The room was suddenly feeling very small and very stuffy and she was trying hard not to think about her extremely full bladder or the nausea beginning to build.

The technician shook her head slowly. "Just… need a minute," she said distractedly, continuing to move the small device around to search, clicking buttons on the keyboard as she went. Andy tried to shift to see the screen, but felt the press of the device somehow holding her in place.

"It's just...," she began, slowly turning to face them and immediately noticing the concern in Andy's eyes. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Don't fret! Everything's okay,"

Andy nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. Still, the technician didn't sound entirely certain of herself when she apologized again after printing off the image and stats, and then excusing herself to see the doctor.

Andy turned to face Sam, eyes wide with alarm as she shifted herself upright, feeling sticky everywhere, the gown trapped under her bra. "Sam, seriously, I'm freaking out here. And I have to pee even _more_ now."

Sam stood up from his chair, a hand on her hip. "Sweetheart, I'm sure it's fine," he kissed the side of her head once, and then again. She breathed, focusing in the sounds of his voice and feeling the grip of his hand. "Don't worry."

Andy had the sudden urge to complain to someone about this woman; her blood pressure was not supposed to be raised like this, it was unhealthy. Her mind was racing with worst case scenarios. "But why would she need to leave?" She asked fearfully, taking a sip of her water to and calm her upset stomach.

"I don't know," he shrugged, seemingly unalarmed, or at least pretending to be for her benefit. "It's my first time at this rodeo, you know."

With one look at his amused expression, Andy smiled and shook her head a little, the anxiety causing some stiffness through her neck and back.

The wheels on his chair squeaked as he sat back down, tugging himself in closer and slipping a hand around the back of her neck to massage gently. He smiled when she quietly moaned, leaning in close and pressing his lips to her cheek, and then her mouth, pulling away with a smack. "I thought you said that pre-natal yoga was supposed to relax you?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You're not helping. And I've only been to one class."

It took the technician and a doctor just a few more minutes to return and as soon as they stepped through the door, Andy could see the tension rising in Sam too.

Much to their surprise, instead of looking anxious, the doctor grinned, looking back and forth between the couple. "Sorry for the wait. Everything is just fine. Congratulations... again!"

Andy shook her head, glancing at Sam and then back at the doctor. She was relieved but this wasn't their doctor. In fact, Andy couldn't remember ever meeting her. "What are we missing here?"

The doctor continued smiling, peeking down at the paperwork attached to the clipboard in front of her. "I figured a congratulations for _each_ baby would be appropriate," she explained, leaving Andy trying to figure out what the hell she was referring to. "One from your doctor, one from me?"

"Just tell us what's going on," Sam was beginning to get annoyed, Andy could feel it.

"You're expecting twins. About 8 weeks along, but we'll know for sure after we look further."

Andy nearly choked trying to catch her breath.

"Tw-twins?" If she wasn't mistaken, Sam was looking a little pale as he stuttered the words. The grip he had on her hand was becoming almost white-knuckled as the seconds passed. "Two babies?"

"Yes, two babies," the doctor nodded, pulling up the chair to sit at the end of the bed. Andy's heart was pounding, but not necessarily in a bad way. "We're sorry for the mishap. I know you must've been anxious," Andy looked in Sam's direction, watching him swallow hard and blink almost rapidly. "When Angie pulled up the image, the heartbeats were quick and jumpy, much like they would be when there's more than one. That's why she came to get me. Multiples aren't exactly rare, but not something we see every day, and it's our procedure to show the scans to a doctor. However, I think next time she'll give her patients more of an idea of what's happening before she leaves the room," she finished, looking over at Angie with a soft smile.

"There are two," Andy glanced down at her small bulging belly. She couldn't even absorb the news, couldn't ever imagine the day when this type of thing would feel normal. They'd need double _everything_. "….twins."

The doctor nodded, smiling at the look of shock on their faces. "Mom and Dad are in for quite a ride," she teased, turning to Angie for a moment to show her something on the screen, and then bringing her attention back to them. "You're on the taller side, Andy. As your first pregnancy, it's not at all surprising that there's not much of a bump," she explained, presumably noticing Andy's stare. "It'll come," she smiled, before excusing herself from the room and leaving the technician to show them the ultrasound once more.

"I'm so sorry about that," Angie admitted, shaking her head after she'd sat back down and gotten settled. "I'm new at this office, still remembering their procedures for things like that."

Andy jumped in, placing a hand on her forearm. "Don't worry about it. As long as the baby – _babies,_" she corrected, still flabbergasted that she was even able to say that, "…are okay, then we're okay."

"_Are_ you okay, Mr. Swarek?" she asked with some concern.

Andy nudged Sam to jolt him from his daydream, watching as he stared into space. "Honey, you okay?"

"What? Uh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he smiled, so briefly that Andy wondered if she imagined it.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Andy was apparently still having some trouble believing him. She'd been anxious, but excited all day. He would've shared in that, if he wasn't scared shitless of what exactly it would be like to have two newborns, at the same time.<p>

"You sure you're alright?" she asked him later as they lay in bed, flipping channels. "You're quiet."

Sam sighed, not surprised that question came up again, but was somewhat irritated by it. He'd answered it four times today already, and thought she should trust him the first time.

"Sam?" She asked again, before he could answer.

"_Yes_," he practically growled in response, tipping his head back against the headboard. "Andy, I've told you already, I'm _fine. _Christ," he looked in her direction with wide eyes.

Andy glared, putting her palm up in defense. "Whoa, I was just-,"

"I know, you're just checking," he finished for her, with a short tone. "But we've been talking about the same thing all day. I'm _fine._"

Andy huffed, resting her head in her hand for a moment before she continued. "Maybe we've been talking about it all day because it's a big friggen deal and I'm freaking out because there's so much to think about and I would really like to know what the hell is going through my husband's head," she argued, until she ran out of air. "Forget it," she scoffed, when he still didn't reply. She flipped over to face away from him and pulled the covers over her shoulder, switching her light off.

Sam clenched his jaw, a noise of irritation rumbling in the back of his throat. He hadn't been lying; he _was_ fine. He wasn't upset or bouncing up and down with excitement; he was fine. The problem was, he just wanted to think about the implications of it all by himself for five waking minutes. He wanted to get a grip on things, sleep it off, come to terms with it, _something._ But all Andy wanted to do was plan and talk and worry… he just didn't want to commit to feeling the way he was right now and worry her more. He could wake up tomorrow and be completely fine.

_What's going through my __**husband's**__ head, _was stuck in his mind while he tried to watch a show about idiots getting too close to Crocodiles in the Amazon. He glanced down at his wedding ring, thinking about the vows he made to Andy last year. _I promise to be there for you, even when you're driving me nuts. I promise to let you in when you're trying to kick my door down. I promise to love you…._

A few minutes later, Sam wasn't sure if she was even still awake, but guilt-tripped himself into opening up. "I'm nervous," he admitted, checking to see if she was listening, but still, no movement. "I don't know if I'm ready for this," he rambled, telling her about his need to figure it out in his head first. "One kid, I thought I could handle that. But two?" he continued, half talking to himself at this point. "I'm just… worried I'm not gonna be good at it."

With a tired sigh, Sam clicked off the TV, laying down against his pillow and shifting around to get comfortable. For an embarrassing moment, he understood why women keep diaries just for themselves to read, and then just as quickly, frowned and promised never to tell a soul he thought about that.

Suddenly, he heard her stir. "McNally?" he asked quietly.

With a dip in the mattress, Andy curled up behind him and wound her arm around his waist. "I love you," she said softly, pressing a kiss to his t-shirt, right between his shoulder blades, "and I'm here."

Sam smiled and relaxed against her, taking her hand in his. "I know," he promised, his eyes slipping closed with the sound of her slow breathing.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you once again for your reviews. They are too kind!

**Thank you to the people who help me endlessly; M, A, M & R!**

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><p>"Sweetheart, can I do anything?" Sam asked, standing in the doorway of the bathroom.<p>

Andy groaned. "Leave me here to die," she answered miserably, resting her head in the crook of her elbow against the toilet. When he didn't move, she glanced up at him and sighed. He was just a really good husband, if she was being honest. "Flat ginger-ale?"

With a half-amused expression on his face, Sam leaned over to press a kiss to her hair. "On it."

With a mod, Andy slumped back against the toilet and hissed in pain when her breast pressed against the bowl. Sam had merely grazed her with his arm last week and she'd yelped; they were _that _sensitive. She'd been told the morning sickness would be bad with twins, but she'd never imagined it to be like this. The 'morning' part was so far not holding true; there were some days where she was nauseated _all day long_. It came on strong just a couple weeks ago and had been relentless ever since. They were to the point where they'd stocked up on ginger _everything _and 10 different types of crackers; lately that was all she could stomach.

Today, it was nearly 2:00 p.m. Andy hadn't showered or moved anywhere except between her bed and the bathroom, and she was set to work the afternoon shift in just over an hour. Even the thought of stepping outside the front door into the frigid winter air was making the nausea worse. Last year they'd taken their honeymoon in the Bahamas and Andy swore she could've lived in that warm climate for the rest of her life.

"Please help me up," she groaned as he stepped back into the bathroom a minute later, glass of ginger-ale in hand.

Sam reached across to take her hand. "Come on," he tipped his head, gently heaving her up and wrapping an arm around her middle. Lately she'd been having dreams directly related to that soothing voice. She'd seen a baby, just one for now. It was always in footy pajamas with a blue blanket on, and then there was Sam, humming the baby to sleep in that exact voice, deep and quiet. The first time it happened she started crying when she woke up, overwhelmed by emotion. "Let's get you back to bed."

The ginger-ale was going down smooth. "No," she shook her head, taking another sip. "I have to get ready for work, I..."

"McNally, just stay home today," he murmured, sitting her down on the edge of the bed and grabbing her a tissue. "You know you're high risk and you need to rest. The paperwork will still be there whenever you -"

Andy froze mid-way through running a hand in her knotted hair. "What do you mean?" She asked, placing her glass on the side table beside her.

He seemed confused by her question. "Well, or someone else will do it?"

"Oh right, because I'm easily replaceable now," Andy scoffed, giving up on fixing her hair and tugging it into a neat ponytail.

His eyes were closed when he sighed, frustrated. "_That_... was not what I meant," he muttered with a small shake of his head.

Andy just hmmed. Maybe it wasn't what he meant, but he certainly wasn't the first person to come out and say it. These days it was like everyone thought she was going to succumb to the nausea and give up. Even their friends, who were so thrilled to hear about the twins, were making insinuations about her capabilities on _light duty._ Andy refused to let her job take the back burner just because of a pregnancy. She would continue working at the station until she physically couldn't. She wanted to believe that Sam supported her 100% in that decision.

"Just go to work then," Sam shrugged with an irritated grin. Andy couldn't figure out if he was actually upset, or… "Sorry for caring."

"I'm not mad at _you_!" she called as he sped out of the room, calling over his shoulder on the way down the stairs to remind her that they didn't have much time left to get ready. Andy was already annoyed at herself for snapping at him. The last few months had felt like a bad case of PMS. "_Sam_!"

He didn't come back up.

She'd spent her shower thinking of how to explain, rehearsed the best way to apologize while she blow-dried her hair and then… didn't. By the time she'd come downstairs, they had to leave, and then she'd spent the entire chilly ride trying not to puke. The busy, tiring afternoon of paperwork came and went and when they got home, Andy could barely stay awake long enough to eat the plain toast she'd made for dinner.

But, as she was about to head upstairs, her conscience got the best of her and she wandered to the living room.

"About earlier...," she said as she leaned against the arm of the couch, stealing his attention from the SportsCenter highlights.

Sam began shaking his head and met her gaze just briefly in the dim light of the room. "I'm sorry I said it," he told her quietly, sounding pretty exhausted himself.

"So you -," Andy frowned, but shook it off and tried to forget about it. "I'm sorry too."

Sam nodded in response and gave her a small smile, which she returned.

Without saying much of anything else, Andy yawned and slipped off the side of the couch. For the most part, she knew they'd wake up tomorrow and go on like it never happened. She leaned over the back of the couch, tipped his face towards her and kissed his cheek before slinking up to bed.

* * *

><p>About four weeks later, the night shift at the station had been a dramatic one. A drunk civilian had straggled into the precinct, demanding information about a friend who was locked up, and was very unhappy about their privacy rules. After faking some serious health complications, he turned on the officer helping him, assaulting him in a drunken rage. The cop took a solid punch to his face and was knocked down hard onto the floor before two other officers could cuff the guy and throw him in a cell. Thankfully the officer was okay, but he was concussed from the fall and likely had a dislocated jaw.<p>

A few hours later, Sam was still feeling shaken up, which was unusual for him. When Andy stopped by to see him during the night, on a quiet hour, the conversation stayed light, but not for long.

"Hi detective," she murmured in a playful voice, running her fingertips along his lower back before he spun around. "How's your night going?" She grinned, clearly in a good mood.

"Uh, you know, lots to do," he muttered as he sorted through the piles of paper on his desk. "This guy's bank records are making my head spin."

Andy hmmed, still smiling, like maybe she was insanely happy to see him and Sam couldn't stop the corners of his lips from curling back in return. He was more than thrilled that her nausea had finally subsided. Being a detective was challenging and mostly fulfilling, but some days he really missed being her partner; catching bad guys, riding together, teaching her how to be a cop. Never before did he love training a rookie as much as he did Andy. Some days he wondered if that was the real reason why he finally moved up, knowing that that experience on patrol was the best it could get.

"You okay?" Andy asked him finally.

Evidently Sam was not being as stealthy as he could be. He wanted to lie and say he was just stressed by this never-ending case. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about him. "I just hate when stuff like that happens," Sam admitted, scrubbing a hand over his face. He spun around to sit on the edge of his desk. "You work the front all the time. Could've been you," he bit out, fuming at the thought.

"That was unusual," Andy contested, taking a step towards him, "Seriously, when's the last time anyone was hit at the desk?"

Sam scoffed, eyebrows jumping. "Uhh... Last month," he replied almost smugly.

"Actually, I think that was like two... maybe three months ago?" Andy's eyes were wide in challenge as she counted on her fingers, "and the only injuries were from a set of overgrown fake nails." Sam watched as she tried to be serious and then caved and gave him a small smile instead.

"It still happens," He argued quietly, trying to show concern over anger. The past few months, it was like Sam's anxiety had grown with her baby belly. It was like little things were setting him off easier than they would have before. "And I don't want anything to happen to you." He finished off almost in a whisper.

Andy sighed and smoothly sat down in his chair. "But it doesn't happen inside," she said, rolling towards him. "You know that it's rare. I'm _fine_. I have back-up around me all the time."

After a minute-long staring contest, Sam threw in the towel. "Okay," he mouthed, and then cleared his throat. The last couple hours had created a sick feeling back there. "You're right."

Andy gave him a warm smile.

He knew she was, but he also knew the rage that he felt inside when he thought about someone trying to hurt his pregnant wife. Sam wasn't proud of himself for it, but couldn't help it either. Andy was a great cop but that was some very precious cargo she was carrying. "Doesn't mean I won't worry though."

"I know, but just relax, okay?" Her palm met the back of his hand on the desk.

Sam took a slow breath in, and released, feeling her thumb smooth against his knuckles. "It's not just today," he admitted. "I keep thinking of these worst case scenarios...," he trailed off, glancing down at her belly, "It's stupid and today -."

Andy's brow furrowed, " - Hold on. It's _not_ stupid at all. Don't even say that, let alone think it."

Even though they were within view of a few distracted detectives, Andy stood up from the chair, shoving his knees further apart and moving in close to wrap her arms around his shoulders. It surprised Sam, but he immediately reciprocated, flattening his palm on her back to keep her there, feeling her four months pregnant belly pressing into him. You could tell she was expecting now, and Sam loved that; anywhere except at their workplace.

"Just take it easy, okay?" He mumbled, taking in her warmth.

"I will," she said quietly, nodding against his shoulder. "But if it means you won't worry so much, I'll ask for less shifts at the front, okay?"

Sam hummed in approval. They stayed like that for a few more seconds, at least until Traci walked by and whispered a teasing "_get a room", _bringing them both back to reality.

"Come with me," Andy whispered against his ear, and he knew right away she was grinning.

When she pulled away he gave her a suspicious look. Her gaze was unmistakable but, he could usually guess when the conversation was going in that direction; this one wasn't. Sam did what she asked anyway, giving her wide eyes to signal that people would notice the look on her face. He trailed her through the station and quickly realized how tired he was feeling when they met the brighter lights of the bullpen.

"Wait here," she whispered when they reached the locker room and Sam obliged. She poked inside for a quick minute and then reached her arm out to tow him inside, pulling him right to the back of the room.

"What's going on?" He had an idea, obviously, but he wanted to know what she was anticipating. There were times that they'd just make out in a semi-private space for 10 minutes before heading back, and there were others when they'd done a _lot _more.

Andy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in close, so their foreheads touched. Biting her lip, she leaned in, nudging his mouth with her own until he opened it, and things started getting warmer. With her palm on his cheek, Andy licked her way into his mouth, stroking his tongue until he groaned.

"Sam," she pulled back, leaving him in a daze of anticipation with another part of him really wishing for a bed, to sleep. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah..." Sam swallowed, giving her a suspicious look before leaning in and catching her lips. All sexual frustration aside, he did know, actually, how much Andy loved him. There was that night years ago at the prison when he'd let her in; let her hear the secrets that he swore to God he'd take to the grave. That was the day he realized she changed him. When they met, he was closed and scared and covered up everything with his charm and expensive aftershave. It took until that day for Sam to let someone in for the first time. To take care of him, comfort him and literally see him for who he was. Andy did all of those things, every single day. He knew now, what it felt like to be loved by someone unconditionally. He'd be forever grateful that Andy McNally cared enough to want to know him, and then agreed to be his partner - his wife - for the rest of their lives.

Andy let him go like that for a _while_, let him get a little handsy and then made way too much noise when he grabbed her ass.

"Okay, so," she gripped onto his belt, fingers slipping in to meet the warm skin behind it and tugging him close. "I wanna help you relax."

When her eyes darkened, he knew she was hoping for more than just a quick make-out. It shouldn't have surprised him, not while her sex drive was insanely high since she entered her second trimester. It was like she went from completely hands-off to _daily _hands-on. For the most part Sam found it very, very entertaining. Just last week she'd found him while he was changing the oil in both of their vehicles and said, "_I need you to come inside and have sex with me, __**now**_**," **in broad daylight.

Tonight though, the worrying had burnt him out, along with his unrelenting case files. Also the fact that they had come too close to being caught once or twice in this locker room and vowed to never get themselves in this situation again. It just wasn't a good idea. "I'm not-," he started to say, but paused when Andy dropped to her knees and looked up at him with an attentive gaze.

"Not...?" She asked while her palms massaged the muscle of his thighs, just with her thumbs when she went higher, making Sam gasp. She was dipping close, but not quite reaching. He tipped his head back against the wall, shifting his hips just enough to relieve the pressure. Even the very light, circular motions with her thumb were making him ache. Saying he wasn't up for it was sounding a little contradictory, all things considered.

"I just don't know if - if we, uh," He couldn't really focus on his words when her hands were doing _that _and her bottom lip was wet and the way she was looking at him hid absolutely none of her desire_._

"Let me," Andy said quietly, pausing from the motions. He was so not a guy who would turn down a blowjob, but having your pregnant wife kneeling on the floor of the locker room at work felt morally wrong. Not that she seemed to feel that way. "You will feel _so much_ better afterwards, I promise. More energy and everything."

She hadn't even got through the entire sentence before he began nodding his head in agreement and helping her flip open the buttons on his jeans. "Okay," he hissed, as she wrapped her hand around him.

* * *

><p>"So hotshot, tell me more about how you finally finished the Porter case," Andy smiled as she chopped some more tomatoes. She watched as a grin formed on his face while he stirred the pasta sauce. It was a casual Tuesday night, both of them in their sweats while they threw together a half-decent dinner. "Only took like a year."<p>

Sam huffed a laugh and moved his neck in slow circles. "I know," he said with a sigh of relief, continuing to stretch it out and then visibly relaxing. "It's huge. Big relief."

"Will you have to go to court soon though?"

Andy watched as he pondered the question, bottom lip jutted out. "Yeah we'll see about that, I guess. Nash doesn't seem to think we will but I don't know if it's just a hunch."

She leaned against the countertop, observing his face of concentration with a smile. "Well, I'm proud of you, and really happy for you guys," she said honestly, her fingertips meeting his forearm.

"Yeah," Sam nodded, glancing over to give her a shy smile. Andy knew the past month or so especially had taken an emotional and physical toll on him. There had been nights that he wasn't home until really late or at all, but with Andy's lack of energy she'd been sleeping more and didn't mind. He threw his whole self into his cases sometimes, and she admired him for it. "You and me both."

"Mmm," she moaned, chopping some fresh basil and dropping it and the tomatoes into the sauce pan. Just because the sauce was from a jar, didn't mean they couldn't pretend and add some fresh ingredients. "This smells amazing. Just praying it doesn't give me the worst heartburn of my life."

Sam took a deep breath in. "Mmmm it's making me hungrier," he admitted, giving her a deep, appreciative moan.

With a grin, Andy grabbed the dinner plates and headed for the kitchen table, setting one down in the middle of each place mat. When she looked back, he was stirring quite vigorously and she stopped, just for a moment, to give him a once over from behind. Her husband; he wore sweatpants really, really well. She took a deep breath in, reminding herself they needed to _eat dinner_. "We're pretty good at this last-minute dinner thing, huh?"

"We?" Sam asked sarcastically, gesturing between them with one pointed finger. "Sweetheart, I basically made the meatballs myself."

She wandered back to grab the forks and knives, turning to glare at him at the last second. "Rude."

Sam chuckled quietly, handing her the wooden bowl of salad as she walked by. "I'm just saying, I bet they're gonna taste good, no thanks to the person who sat and watched."

He wasn't wrong; when it came to spaghetti and meatballs, Andy's talents were restricted to chopping, dicing and stirring. However, if you wanted a decent chicken soup, she left Sam in the dust. "Well I'm cooking these babies all on my own so...," she trailed off, joining him in front of the stove. "I'll be sure to give myself the credit when they turn out cute."

The adorable scowl on his face almost had her reaching over to flip the stove off and promising to come back and finish dinner later. But then Sam smiled, leaning over to kiss her, just once. "If they look anything like you, you know they're gonna be cute."

Andy laughed, rolling her eyes and making a fist in his old t-shirt. His gaze dropped down to stare at her mouth, his free hand meeting her middle. With an anticipating smile, she tugged him in so their lips could meet again.

"I hope they get your dimples," Andy said, after pulling back and shifting so her belly wouldn't press into the counter. "And your charming personality," she teased, getting her lips in close, but not touching his. "Just not your terrible sense of humour."

When she tried to kiss him once more, he turned his face away at the last second. "Now you're the one being rude," he said with a small glare, turning back to stir the low boiling sauce.

Andy laughed, a full body shake, before grabbing the box of spaghetti noodles and dumping them into boiling water.

After dinner, they got as far as loading the dishwasher before giving up and collapsing onto the couch. Sam sat in the corner of the L-shape couch, his legs stretched out in front of him, while Andy laid against him on a pillow. Her couch positions were becoming more and more limited as time went on.

Once she was settled, she heard Sam chuckle. "Having fun?"

Andy made a frustrated noise and gave him a quick elbow to the ribs. "Shut up."

With a grin, he feigned hurt and grabbed for the remote. "So you really wanna rent one again?" He asked a few minutes later, running his fingers through her hair. "We just did the other night."

Andy's eyes slid closed. The feeling of a full stomach along with his strong fingers on her scalp was enough to put anyone in a daze. She imagined him putting their babies to sleep like that, just his fingertips stroking their little heads; he'd be amazing at it. "Yeah... and?"

"I don't know," Sam shrugged, swooping lower to give her some gentle pressure on her neck. "Remember our bill last month? Why don't we just watch one we already have?"

"Uh, yes, I remember," she frowned. A TV bill of $220 is just not one you forget. Apparently they'd rented one too many HD movies from ExpressVu, but, "Sam," she leaned up on an elbow to meet his eyes, "you know we're fine."

"Yeah I know," he admitted with a nod, "Right now we are. But we haven't bought the car seats yet. Or a stroller. Or the cribs or the diapers or -."

"— okay!" Andy sighed, cutting him off and dropping her head back against the cushion. She could just picture the numbers dipping lower and lower in their accounts. They _did _have a decent-sized mortgage to pay on their house, and car payments on a second vehicle for the next five years, and starting college funds, and… "Okay, fair point."

"Look I'm not trying to say we can't, I just, don't want us to get stuck. We're not exactly being careful lately."

Andy snorted, gesturing down to her stomach. She had an instant flashback of their first appointment; the doctor had frowned when she realized Andy was on the pill and used that same word. "I know. I guess things happen when we're not _being careful_," she teased.

With an affectionate eye roll, Sam tugged on her elbow. "Hey, it's not all bad."

"Mmmhmm," Andy moved the pillow out of the way and grabbed the quilt from the back of the couch to spread across them before she curled into his side as best as she could. "So… wanna watch Dirty Dancing?" She smiled, squeezing gently at his thigh.

He groaned overdramatically, scrubbing a palm over his face. "Nice try."

* * *

><p>With monthly doctor's appointments, Sam was getting pretty used to seeing Andy be poked and prodded. Now at the five month mark, her bump was growing quickly, and everything was seeming more real by the day. The snow had melted, the trees in their front yard were beginning to bloom. They'd even begun saying "the babies" without having to think about it.<p>

"Everything's looking good, Andy," the doctor explained, removing her gloves and then turning around to make some notes at the desk. Andy sat up on the creaky bed, pulling her gown down and swivelling her legs around to the front. Sam sat beside her in a chair, still in his work clothes. "You're gaining weight, the babies are gaining weight… No abnormal pain or symptoms?"

Andy shook her head. "None other than the really mild cramps, and I think I'm being kicked in the ribs," she explained, while Sam huffed a quiet laugh. The first time it happened she swore it was him poking her from across the bed, and blamed him accordingly.

The doctor nodded, continuing to make notes. "All normal. And emotionally? How are things?"

"I'm... getting a little nervous, to be honest," Andy admitted, "Sam's been really supportive," she paused to give him a quick smile, and he suddenly felt really grateful that he could sneak away from work to be with her. "I'm excited but, yeah. Nervous. A lot will change."

"A lot _will_ change," the doctor agreed, putting her pen down and turning around with a serious look. Sam took in a breath and held, interested but afraid of what she'd say. "As much as I'd like to, I can't pretend that it will be smooth sailing with twins. Many of my patients have told me that it's one of the most stressful experiences of their life. But," she paused, just after he'd had given Andy a warm nudge with his knee. "Also one of the best experiences of their lives...once they've gotten some sleep anyway."

That got a smile out of both of them. Sam understood what it was like to be tired. In a job like his, exhaustion was a regular occurrence. What he didn't yet understand was a newborn baby. Not once in his life had he been responsible for a kid that wasn't even able to hold its own head up. _That_ part of it, the newness of them, was one of the biggest stressors in his mind.

"My advice is get away when you can and when you _are _away, without the little ones, don't talk about them. Talk about anything and everything exceptthem. They're going to be your entire world, and from personal experience," she grinned. "You'll love it. But try to remember that you aren't just Mom and Dad. You're husband and wife."

Sam watched as Andy bit her lip. "Yeah, um, how long can we still... be intimate, right now?" she asked, and he was damn glad she was the one to do it, because he never would've been able to.

The doctor nodded in understanding. "It's a common question. Right now, you're fine to continue," she said, eyes jumping between them. Sam fidgeted in his chair, feeling like a little boy about to be called into the principal's office. Talking about their sex life with this random woman felt massively uncomfortable. "Further along, it's something we need to play by ear. It can stimulate early labour and with multiples, you want to stay pregnant as long as you can. It would be so very ideal if you could make it to 32 weeks."

Andy's eye widened at the thought. "That is... 3 more months."

"Yes," she nodded, gesturing to Andy's middle. Sam looked too, smiling at the basketball-under-the-shirt look that Andy had going on. "Still lots of room in there! There are some expectant mothers who come in here with double your size at five months."

Andy closed her eyes and shook her head. "Let's just pretend you didn't say that."

"So," the doctor clapped her hands together, "let's get to the good stuff, then. Are you going to find out the genders?"

"No," Sam said quietly, at the exact same time as Andy's loud "Yes!"

Immediately Andy seemed shocked, frowning at him as if _he_ was being the unreasonable one. "Huh?"

"What?" he asked, eyebrows raised and smirking when he caught the doctor biting her cheek to hide a laugh. If he wasn't mistaken, this mid-40's woman smiled at him quite often. "Come on, it'll be a surprise."

"Um," Andy scoffed, "Some people want to _plan_!"

Sam rolled his eyes overdramatically, reaching for her calf and squeezing. "What is there to plan? Their pajamas?"

Andy scoffed, shoving her sock-covered toes into his thigh. "Try _everything, _Sam," she said matter-of-factly, "Clothes, bedrooms, names, paint colours -,"

"I'll tell you what," the doctor interrupted. "You have," she looked at her watch, "about 15 minutes before you have to head over to the clinic. Request that the technician write it down. If you get home and you wanna know, then look. If you don't, burn it," she shrugged.

* * *

><p>After spending a good hour wading in the warm pool, Andy sighed, flopping down on the lounge chair. "Grab my towel please?"<p>

Sam looked at her kinda sideways, handing her the fluffy beach towel from the bag that was resting on his chair. He watched as she covered the exposed skin of her pregnant belly. "Andy, there's nobody else here."

With a quick look around, she shrugged. He was right, but the pool was outdoors and smack-dab in the centre of the hotel. Just about anyone could've been looking out their windows.

With a few days off in the middle of the week in June, they'd headed north and found a quiet chain hotel to hole up in for a couple nights. While they were working hard to save, they couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time reconnecting, especially on their first wedding anniversary. Andy could hardly believe that 12 months had already passed since their wedding. A whole year since she promised to give her entire self to their relationship, for _forever. _About this time last year, she was kind of an emotional wreck. Their engagement was short, meaning the time for wedding planning was also less than usual. However, when she stepped through their church doors, arm in arm with her dad, and saw Sam standing at the altar, Andy could not have cared less about the flavour of the chicken at the reception.

At their last appointment, the doctor had suggested a 'babymoon' before the babies came; one of the last childless vacations they'd have for the next 18 years or so. Thus far they hadn't done much except for eating and sleeping, but just the fact that they were away from the city made all the difference. They were quite limited as far as activities go, but Andy had every intention of dragging Sam by his ankles to go strawberry picking.

Although it was only the beginning of summer, the pool was warm, the sun was beating down, and Sam looked pretty damn good in his swim trunks. Andy was also seven months pregnant with twins and while she'd been feeling pretty good lately health-wise, she wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of a bathing suit. Sam had wanted her to wear the skimpiest bikini he could find in her underwear drawer. She basically snorted in response, trying it on for him but flat-out refusing to go to a public place in something so minimal. Although she did have to agree with him, her boobs looked pretty freakin' great in it. In the end, she settled for a tankini, with shorts as bottoms.

"Don't give me that look," she glared at him mildly, fixing her towel to cover her upper thighs. "You've probably looked like... That," she gestured to his shirtless upper body. "Your entire life."

"McNally," he scratched at the back of his head, keeping his hand back there.

"Hey, I'm just saying. You try adding _two human beings _worth of weight, and like… Ben & Jerry's ice cream weight to your stomach and then see how hot you feel in a two piece."

Sam chuckled at that, putting his palms up in surrender before reaching for his own towel. "I think you're beautiful,"

Andy rolled her eyes, but appreciated it nonetheless. Often she did feel beautiful, she _was _carrying their babies; everybody told her she was glowing and she could feel it, on the inside too. But sometimes, like today, she just wished she could be not pregnant for the afternoon and enjoy being at an outdoor pool with her husband. "I'm probably never gonna look the same as I used to," she sighed, only beginning to come to terms with the idea. "I'm literally supposed to gain over 50 pounds. Doesn't that bother you?"

Sam hmmed, tilting his head back and forth like he was considering, at least until she scowled at him. "Sweetheart," he grinned apologetically. "I promise you, it doesn't bother me."

"Okay," Andy sighed, nestling her head against the back of the chair, soaking up some sun. "But I could still try boot camp."

Once Sam had finished towelling himself off, he sat down on the side of his lounge chair, elbows resting on his knees "You could," he shrugged, leaning in close like they were about to share a secret. One year of marriage and she was still positive that her husband was _the _sexiest man alive. It was just entirely unfair that they were medically banned from doing anything while away on an anniversary trip. Or at least, Andy was. "But I'll still think you're sexy even if you don't"

Andy smiled. "Oh yeah? I'll hold you to that. You think you're still gonna want me when I'm covered in stretch marks and puke and poop and formula and ointment...," she trailed off.

"So we'll spend more time in the shower together," he decided, eyebrows raised as he laid back against his chair and threw on a pair of sunglasses, "...but I won't hold it against you when we don't have the time, energy or will for six months or so after they're born," he laughed quietly.

Andy huffed a laugh, sitting up slowly when her back tensed up, mumbling curses about uncomfortable seating.

"Deal," she smiled, after Sam helped her to her feet. These days, even when their middles were touching, their faces were nearly a foot away from each other. She lifted up on her tiptoes as much as humanly possible and pressed her lips to his. "But I'm not waiting six months after _already _waiting right now. Screw that."

Sam was distracted, between them as he ran his palms up and down her sides, pausing to mind the gap in her bathing suit. A shiver crawled up Andy's spine when his thumbs smoothed along the top of her suit bottoms. "Hmmm. I guess we could call in reinforcements if needed," he murmured.

Andy snorted a laugh. "Oh really? Like who?"

"Nash? Epstein?" Sam smirked, wrapping his towel around his waist.

"Ew!" Andy made a face of disgust, "why would you even suggest that?"

Sam coughed out a laugh. "They could babysit, McNally," he smiled. "Get your head outta the gutter."

"My head is _not_ -" She paused, catching the curious stares of another couple coming in through the white fence to the pool area. "Oh great," she muttered under her breath.

Sam and Andy gave them a quick smile as the older couple strolled by, introducing themselves. They looked like the type to drag you into conversation for an hour, and Andy's feet were already hurting. She politely excused herself and began gathering up their things to head back to the room, leaving Sam to end the conversation. After throwing on her shirt, Andy leaned down to yank up a pair of shorts and began walking towards the gate.

"Thanks _partner_," he growled when he caught up her. "You owe me for that one."

Andy let out a sincere laugh, taking his hand in hers as they walked back. "Don't worry, I always pay up."

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise, trailing her into their hotel room and dead-bolting the door behind them.

* * *

><p>With one last heave, Sam and Oliver lifted the second crib up to the top of the stairs, dropping it with a thud. Both of them breathed a tentative sigh of relief, knowing that their hours of reading instructional guides were almost done.<p>

"Thanks for your help today, man," Sam said appreciatively as they began tearing open the box and removing the pieces. "Would've punched a hole through the wall already if you weren't here,"

Oliver laughed while he tried to balance a piece of the dark wood crib against the wall, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Don't worry, I won't ever tell your kids that Uncle Ollie was the sole reason they had a place to sleep."

Sam rolled his eyes, taking a few gulps of his beer. Nothing felt better on the throat on a scorching hot day. "And that, my friend, is why you'll never be alone with them."

"Ha! You say that now... A few months in and you'll be begging for a babysitter and I'm telling you now - I won't be that person," Oliver said matter-of-factly with a smirk. "I did the diaper thing for too long already."

"Will you just shut up for five seconds and help me set this thing up?" He blurted out, and then apologized soon after, blaming the heatwave for his short temper.

The last few hours had been spent bringing the new baby furniture home and putting it together, while Traci threw Andy a baby shower. Andy had left Sam a list; assembling closet organizers, change tables, cribs, buying mattresses. It took him all of five seconds to call up Oliver and guilt trip him into helping. After all, he _had_ just helped Oliver and Celery move into their new place a month ago.

With a trip to the furniture store, the hardware store and the beer store under their belts, they were set. There were less than two months to go before the babies would arrive, so Sam finally caved and agreed to get things going. Even Sarah had commented on how much wasn't done when she was over for dinner a few weeks before.

Last week he was able to finish the rooms with gray, gender neutral paint; which he caught shit about, considering they never did find out the genders of the babies. It was a battle he was surprised he'd won. _I'd be able to design these things if we knew more, _she'd said last weekend, eyes narrowed.

However, the day had so far had been a test of Sam's patience. While he considered himself a pretty decent handyman, the assembly instructions were crap, there were screws missing from some of the boxes and both times, the drawers in the closets refused to fit, much to Oliver's amusement.

They had the second crib standing, at least. Luckily they knew which was piece was the front and which was the back and how it was supposed to look this time around. It had taken them nearly an hour to get the first one up, but Sam was right and determined to get both set up in different bedrooms, instead of putting both kids in one.

"You know what's funny?" Oliver asked a few minutes later, when they'd both cooled down substantially. He held two sides together while Sam worked the screwdriver.

Sam grunted, shaking his head. "No, but I bet you're gonna tell me," he smirked.

"Why yes I am," he slapped Sam's shoulder as they shuffled along the carpet towards the next loose screw. "What's funny, and I don't mean _funny_, funny, but…"

"_Shaw_!" Sam paused to glare at him.

Oliver smirked in return. "'Bout four, maybe five years ago? McNally was in that burned down laundromat with the dead guy's wife. The arson, you remember that one?"

Sam froze, his hand in a mid-turn. "How is this funny?"

Oliver raised his hand. "Will you let me finish?" Sam shook his head, continuing to move along in the construction. "So, it's the day that McNally's in this building...," Oliver stopped for a moment and chuckled. "Can I remind you that these were the days when you were _not _in love with her, no sirree. No repressed feelings of any kind,"

Sam smirked, holding back a laugh. He felt a strange tightness in his chest just thinking of it. The whole time he stood outside that building, he'd had this sinking feeling that he could lose her, right here. And at the same time, he'd felt the sickening realization that she wasn't even his to lose. "Mmhmmm... Your point?"

"My point is," Oliver sat back, resting his elbows on his bent knees. "Hold onto that. That day, Sammy… that day was when I knew for sure that..."

Sam tried to ignore him, continuing to move around to the next side while he continued through the embarrassing story. He tightened the already tight bolts and trying not to let Oliver see the slight pink in his cheeks.

Looking back, Sam had known he was in love with her; head over heels, batshit crazy for his rookie, and then his partner. But at the time, it was like his heart had refused to see that, and had refused to even try. Before Andy, he'd certainly felt lust. He'd felt wanting and he'd felt love and all the intense feelings that come along with it. But Andy terrified him, because not once since he was 9-years-old could he remember caring _so_ much about the safety, security and happiness of another person.

"Look, I'm a divorced father of three," Oliver shrugged. "Kids are the best, and the worst thing that can happen. Zoe and I put everything into them, and we lost what we had with each other."

That's when Sam finally stopped and looked at his friend, putting the screwdriver down after seeing the sad look in his eyes. "Come on, buddy. You tried..."

"I did," Oliver nodded, reaching for his beer. "Hell, _we_ did. But you guys, you have something special here," he looked around the room. "Just don't forget everything you've been through together. It's all perspective. Taking care of a newborn is a breeze compared to the people we love stuck in collapsing buildings, man."

Sam just nodded. "Thanks."

Twenty minutes later, when they had finally finished with the crib, Sam crashed down into the rocking chair, dropping his tools on the floor in exhaustion. Oliver stayed on the floor though, leaning against the closet door.

The rooms were looking good, even Sam could admit that. He'd fought with Andy about how much they were paying for baby furniture but... He was pretty impressed by her choices. It almost made him want to know if they'd be having sons, daughters or a mix of both. It was exciting to imagine what it would be like a few months from now; their babies sleeping in these cribs. It felt so foreign and so far away to picture him and Andy, as parents. They'd literally be responsible for the lives of two new human beings. Ones that he'd supposedly love within seconds of seeing.

Just as he'd cracked open a fresh beer, his phone dinged. "Duty calls," Sam groaned, smiling at Oliver's look of confusion. "Gotta help load up all the stuff from Traci's."

Oliver chuckled, pulling himself up to standing. "Ahh yes. You're nearing the most stressful part of the entire debacle."

Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Oliver gave an almost sinister smile. "Decorating."

* * *

><p>"Hey!" Traci and Gail called, almost in sync, as Andy practically waddled in through the front doors of the station.<p>

Andy smiled back, winded by the time she reached them, and pulled Traci into a hug, "How are you?" She asked them both, moving to give Gail a squeeze next.

"Hmmm. I hate to admit it but we kinda miss having you around," Gail told her with a small grin. Andy was really grateful for the shift in their relationship. For a phase, they were hardly speaking, which Andy had taken responsibility for. But since Gail had adopted Sophie, it all felt like water under the bridge. They'd been able to move forward.

Andy laughed. "It's only been like two weeks!" She was lucky she even got to work _that _long. They'd had to shorten some of her shifts near the end. She had been determined to continue working but after about three hours, she needed the rest of the day off. So while she was sad to officially leave for the year, she was also so ready to lay in bed. A lot.

"Yeah two weeks," Traci cut in, leaning back against the desk, "yet every time I see you I'm still surprised at how ready you are to _pop_."

Andy huffed a laugh, placing a hand on her heavy, large belly. In the past few weeks it seemed to stop growing out, and started expanding sideways, which made sleeping even more difficult. Especially last night. She knew the headache she had today had to be related. "Is that a nice way of telling me I look like a whale?"

Traci all but cackled before she immediately shook her head. "For a very pregnant person… you look hot, Andy," she promised, nudging Gail with an elbow. "Am I right?"

Gail pursed her lips into a grin and began nodding overdramatically. "Sexiest pregnant woman I've ever seen."

One look at the two of them and all Andy could do was roll her eyes, and grab a chair. "T_hanks," she muttered sarcastically,_ "just don't look at my cankles, they might ruin the illusion."

After a few minutes of catching up on the latest from the 15 Division gossip mag, Andy was glad she came in, exhausted or not. She really was going to miss laughing with them over the next year. While she had a few out-of-work friends, it took a fellow cop to really understand. Sam understood cop humour of course, but gossip? _The only time in my life that I ever wanted to hear gossip at that station was when it was about you, _he told her once. So, he was out.

"You do look good though," Gail said seriously, crossing her arms. "Pregnancy just suits you. Swarek must be…," Gail cocked an eyebrow and made a swooping gesture with her hand.

"Ha! _Not_! Hasn't been allowed to for weeks now. Doctor's orders," Andy shrugged, switching positions in the chair to try to relieve the pinch in her lower back. "He hates it but I'm not gonna lie, I'm experiencing a little too much discomfort in my entire body to worry right now," Andy explained quietly, not wanting to attract attention.

"I remember those days…," Traci's eyebrows raised, and Andy smiled. "How are you feeling lately? I mean, you're past 8 months. It's a milestone."

Andy sighed, reminding herself that the relief from this awkward pain was still, in an ideal world, 4 or 5 weeks away. "I'm feeling kind of lightheaded today actually. I should get home and lie down. I'm only here to sign off on some files I was working on last week before they get pulled into court," she finished, taking in a deep breath.

Traci frowned. "You drove here?"

"No, no, no," Andy smiled a little, closing her eyes for a moment around the throb in her forehead. "Cabbed."

"Are you still feeling faint?" Traci asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"A little," Andy admitted, trying to perk up. She could tell that the two of them were beginning to look pretty concerned. "I'm fine though. I'm sure it's nothing. My neck's been sore and it's probably tension."

Traci wasn't exactly believing it, not with the alarming look on her face. "Hmm, okay," she nodded. "Stay here, I'll get you some water. Maybe you're dehydrated."

"I think it's normal," Andy continued, talking to Gail this time. She was still feeling slightly winded, which was out of the ordinary, but... "it's been happening a bit in the past few days, especially when I get Braxton Hicks, but it goes away."

"Braxton Hicks? Those are the fake contractions right?" Gail asked,

Andy nodded, "A lot of people - _Ahhhh_!" she gasped when she felt a sudden intense pressure, her hand flying to her belly and holding through the pain. But when the pressure released, she looked down to see a tinge of blood-infused liquid seeping into her yoga pants. Andy trembled in fear, the panic coursing through her before things went foggy, and she felt like she was floating. In a haze, she could hear echoes of Gail yelling, and Traci calling her name, shaking her. And then Andy thought she saw Sam, thought she heard his booming voice.

And then everything went black.


End file.
